CULINARY FUSION AND POSTCOLONIAL IDENTITY: MIMICRY AND MOCKERY IN ANGLO-INDIAN CUISINE

Abstract

The relationship between colonial history and cultural identity has long influenced culinary traditions, as seen in Anglo-Indian fusion cuisine. This article explores the phenomenon of British and Indian fusion cuisine through the theoretical lens of Homi K. Bhabha’s concepts of mimicry and mockery. As former colonial colonies, Britain’s encounter with India resulted in a two-way culinary exchange that transformed Indian dishes into staples of British cuisine. This dynamic reflects both mimicry where Indian recipes were adopted and adapted to suit British tastes and mockery where the cultural context of the original recipes was often stripped away or parodied to suit British tastes. By examining the historical emergence and prevalence of modern dishes such as Chicken Tikka Masala, this article highlights how these dishes shape hybrid identities that have been formed during the colonial and postcolonial periods. The study draws on historical records, and data from British restaurants to outline how these fusion cuisines symbolize the cultural and complexities of postcolonial identity. Essentially, this article highlights the ongoing impact of colonialism in shaping modern culture and cuisine, illustrating the role of food as a medium for identity negotiation and cultural mimicry.